Her lashes lower, and I catch a slight narrowing of her eyes—a defensive move. “Is that so?” she challenges, her voice a little tight, as if she’s trying to convince herself she’s got this.
It’s so easy to rile her up, to dare her into things. It’s almost cute.
Her lips press together, and for a moment, I notice how perfectly shaped they are, even when they form that stubborn line.
“You’re welcome to try and stop me.” I shrug. “In fact, I want you to. Put up your best walls. Let’s see if you can keep me out.”
She tightens her grip on her arms, those long lashes fluttering as she narrows her eyes again in determination. Those subtle movements, the micro-expressions she can’t hide, betray her more than she realizes.
“Go ahead,” she mutters, daring me. “Do your worst.”
A flicker of vulnerability.
Then uncertainty.
My fingers brush against her wrist, and her pulse hammers under my touch. It quickens, and I pause. Her freckles, barely noticeable, are scattered like stars across her nose.
Fuck, get a grip, Koen.
“This is the pre-framing,” I murmur, forcing myself back on topic. “Part shock, part making sure you’re letting me touch you willingly.”
I tug at her wrist, my other hand tapping her forehead with just the right amount of pressure. She shudders, then her body begins to melt, already giving in.
“Sleep.”
And just like that, her body relaxes against me. No resistance at all, even though I told her to try keeping me out. She’slettingme in, whether she realizes it or not. And God, the way she gives in so completely makes my cock twitch in my jeans.
She has no idea what it does to me to have her body soft against mine. It’s the way her defenses crumble, the way she trusts me subconsciously, that makes me want to take her apart.
I can’t do that, can I?
She’s a means to an end.
Her head dips, leaving her forehead resting against my shoulder, and I catch the faintest scent of her, something warm and sweet like pastries.
“You’re listening to me, but you can’t speak,” I murmur, the words slipping easily between us.
It takes fucking strength not to reach up and pet her hair.
I lean in a little closer, close enough to whisper in her ear. “Until I say the wordpigeon, you’ll only be able to whistle like a bird. No talking. Just whistling.”
The command settles in, and as long as she’s untrained, she will continue to be powerless to fight it. My voice, my touch, it’s all she can hear or feel.“Wake up.”
She snaps back, blinking rapidly as she tries to regain her footing. Her lips part as if she’s about to speak, but?—
Whistle.
A short, sharp whistle sounds from her lips, one that clearly wasn’t what she intended. I can see the frustration on her face, the way her brows pull together and her lips purse in anger. And it only makes her whistle again. She tries harder, but the results are the same.
Levi’s laugh breaks the tension as he doubles over in amusement. Glitter just stands there, her agitation growing with every sound that leaves her mouth—how her cheeks flushand her fists clench at her sides. She’s a proud person and embarrassed as fuck right now.
Oh well. That’s what a sassy mouth gets you.
“Look at her go!” Levi says between fits of laughter. “My Little Bird!”
I don’t laugh. I watch calmly as her skin reddens even more, and she completely loses her composure. I even stay calm when she snaps, stepping forward and shoving me.
The aggression doesn’t surprise me, but the force of it does. I stumble back, my foot catches on her bag, and I hit the floor.Hard.And something clatters to the floor between us.
